who is robert redford

Robert Redford was a renowned American actor, director, and producer, born on August 18, 1936, and who passed away on September 16, 2025. He gained fame as a leading man in the late 1960s and 1970s with iconic roles in films such as "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," "The Sting," "All the President's Men," and "Out of Africa." Redford was also an influential filmmaker, winning an Academy Award for Best Director for "Ordinary People" (1980). Beyond acting and directing, he was a passionate political activist and environmentalist. Significantly, Redford founded the Sundance Institute and the Sundance Film Festival in 1981, which became a vital platform for independent cinema. He received numerous accolades, including multiple Golden Globes, an Academy Honorary Award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and others recognizing his impact on film and society. He was recognized as one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2014. Redford retired from acting in 2018 and remained deeply involved in activism and film until his passing at his home in Utah.